By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-11-18 17:12:02 | Updated at 2024-11-23 07:37:52
4 days ago
A transgender athlete and Army veteran has admitted she would have an 'advantage' if she were to compete against biological women in sports.
Sara Higdon, who says she has undergone hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for more than five years, took to social media Sunday to weigh in on the debate over whether trans women should be allowed to compete in women's sports.
The self-described 'high performing former athlete' claims she is living 'proof' that even after years of HRT, trans women will still outperform biological women.
She argued that 'HRT causes a loss in performance, but it doesn't erase it' and claims she had been on 'path to prove it by breaking the female squat record' before she was sidelined by an old injury.
Higdon, demonstrating her alleged superior fitness, added that 'I still perform in the 80th percentile on a spin bike after never riding before 2020'.
The trans athlete shared her story Sunday in response to a tweet from Harry Potter author JK Rowling that slammed John Oliver for a segment on his show in which he said women do not face safety threats from competing against trans athletes.
Rowling, an avowed anti-trans feminist, accused Oliver of 'spouting bulls***' and argued that women have 'lost nearly 900 medals' to trans women and 'suffered serious injury' playing against them in women's competitions.
The writer further hailed Higdon's reply, saying: 'Respect. Thank you for this.'
Transgender athlete and Army veteran Sara Higdon (pictured) has admitted she would have an 'advantage' if she were to compete against biological women in sports
Higdon, pictured, says she is a 'high performing former athlete' who spent 7.5 years in the Army and has undergone hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for more than five years
On the latest episode of Last Week Tonight, Oliver said that there was 'no evidence [trans athletes] post any threat to safety or fairness'.
The remark outraged Rowling, who described the late night host as 'an undoubtedly intelligent person spouts absolute bulls*** to support something he wants to be true, but isn't'.
Higdon, in a sign of support for Rowling's claims, detailed her own experience as both a trans woman and athlete who spent 7.5 years in the Army.
'Been on HRT for 5.5 years, and I can still prove that if I competed against women in sports, I still have an advantage,' she wrote, before citing her spin bike performance and attempt to break the female squat record.
Another X user hit back, sharing a chart published in earlier this year in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism suggesting researchers found that after four years of HRT there is no difference in the performance of trans and biological women.
The trans athlete shared her story Sunday in response to a tweet from Harry Potter author JK Rowling that slammed John Oliver for a segment on his show in which he said women do not face safety threats from competing against trans athletes
The author thanked Higdon for her reply, prompting the trans athlete to share how she recently spoke with some of the issue's leading advocates to thank them for their efforts
But Higdon refused to accept the pushback, stating: 'Is your thought that 4 years on HRT is when trans women should be allowed to compete with women, because that is when the advantage is erased? I don't believe it.
'For sure HRT causes a loss in performance, but it doesn't erase it. I'm proof.'
Higdon, in a response to another user, added that despite hormone treatment or surgeries trans people 'are not, and never could be' the same as their biological counterpart.
'I'm truly living my best life. When you can be honest about the facts of life, and recognize reality, it's truly freeing,' she concluded.
'I feel bad for so many trans people, because they are so ashamed at their biology that they have to make the world around them bend to their view of things.'
Higdon has actively campaigned against trans women competing in women's sports and applauds some of the issue's leading advocates.
Higdon claims she recently spoke with Riley Gaines (pictured with Higdon) and Paula Scanlan at one of Donald Trump's campaign rallies 'to tell them how much I appreciate both of their voices'
She claims she recently spoke with Riley Gaines and Paula Scanlan at one of Donald Trump's campaign rallies 'to tell them how much I appreciate both of their voices.'
Higdon also appeared on the Kibbe on Liberty program in March last year and said she is 'absolutely' against trans women competing in women's sports.
She argued there is 'no amount of estrogen' or 'testosterone blockers' that a person can take that would 'ever eliminate the full biological benefits advantages that you have by going through a male puberty'.
'If you train your whole lives in a sport and you just go and try to transition and say you're a woman then you're going to be leaps and bounds,' she said.
